"Yes, you have had splendid luck so far, Captain
Rawlings--extraordinary good luck."

"For which I am largely indebted to you, Barry. Your judgment,
knowledge, and resourcefulness are, I can assure you, very fully
appreciated by me. You have been the guiding spirit in the whole
affair; and, to be perfectly candid with you, my dear fellow, I don't
know how I should have managed without you. Our native crew are so
devoted to, and have worked so splendidly under you that I intend to
give every one of them a handsome present. And, although you once
refused to accept anything from me, I shall indeed feel hurt if you
will not now reconsider your former decision. It will add considerably
to the pleasure I feel at this moment."

"The native boys certainly do deserve a handsome present from the owner
of the _Mahina_," replied the chief officer, emphasising the word
"owner." "They have worked with an energy that I alone, perhaps, can
understand. And I can assure you that, with every facility to steal,
not a single pearl has been taken by them. Their honesty is above
suspicion."

"I am sure of it, my dear fellow," answered Rawlings effusively, "and
they shall be treated properly by me, I can assure you. Twelve
thousand pounds' worth of pearls----"

"Say sixteen," said Barry; "my estimate of their value is based on the
price they would fetch in the colonies or Singapore--not London or
Amsterdam."

"Just so. Well, sixteen thousand pounds' worth of pearls, and thirty
thousand pounds' worth of shell is a big haul in less than six months.
But you have evaded my suggestion about your own--what shall I call
it--bonus, lucky-penny?"

"I can only repeat to you that I cannot accept anything from you,"
replied Barry quietly, though his hands were twitching to catch the
handsome, plausible little scoundrel by the throat and strangle him
there and then.

Rawlings flung out his hands with a pained expression and sighed. "You
are too proud to accept a present from me, a gift to which you are well
entitled and which I have sincere pleasure in offering. A thousand
pounds will be nothing to me----"

"For God's sake, stop!" and Barry turned away fiercely. "I tell you
that I want nothing from you."

Rawlings looked at him quietly with the faintest flicker of a smile.
"Ah, I won't offend you again, my dear fellow. I'm afraid that I'm a
bit too impulsive, and that you are too proud a man even to listen to a
well-meant and k